Balandeen stands out in Street Sense
RACE REPLAY IS NOT AVAILABLEThe Sunday co-features at Churchill Downs are simply first-level allowances, save for one horse per race, yet the Street Sense and Rags to Riches both fill valuable niches on the 10-race Stars of Tomorrow card that opens the fall meet.
The Street Sense drew 10 colts and geldings as the eighth race; the Rags to Riches drew eight fillies as the fourth. They’re both $80,000, one-turn miles that should serve as legitimate springboards to the end-of-meet Grade 2 stakes in their respective divisions, the Kentucky Jockey Club and the Golden Rod on Nov. 26.
The lone multiple winner in the Street Sense is Balandeen, whose draw of the outside post was encouraging for trainer Chris Hartman. Balandeen used the outside post and a perfect trip in clearing his first allowance condition during the September meet at Churchill. Channing Hill has the return ride.
“The outside’s got to help us with tactics again,” Hartman said. “There are some steamers in there, I’m sure, but hopefully we’ll be OK.”
Speedmeister, an eye-catching winner of his Oct. 9 debut at Keeneland, likely will be favored after earning a field-high 86 Beyer Speed Figure in that seven-furlong race. Julien Leparoux, the leading jockey at the Keeneland fall meet that ended Saturday, will be back aboard for trainer Mark Casse.
Others sure to draw serious action include Singing Bullet, who gets first Lasix after finishing sixth in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Futurity earlier this month, and three horses exiting maiden victories: McCraken, Guest Suite, and Silent Decree.
The Rags to Riches also drew several promising last-out graduates from the maiden ranks – most notably Sailor’s Valentine and Farrell – and it will be interesting to see how they’re viewed in the pre-race wagering. Both might be overshadowed by Lovely Bernadette (post 1, Robby Albarado), whose rallying score in an Oct. 9 allowance at Keeneland could be enough to sway the bettors in her favor.
“She was eligible for the Spendthrift race Sunday, but we decided just to stick with the fillies in this spot,” said Jimmy DiVito, trainer of Lovely Bernadette.
Other fillies likely to draw attention include Maluku, who gets Joel Rosario and first-time Lasix off a narrow defeat in a Sept. 30 allowance mile at Churchill, and China Grove, second as the favorite behind Lovely Bernadette three Sundays ago.
Street Sense, race 8
KEY CONTENDERS
Speedmeister, by Bodemeister
Last Beyer: 86
◗ His training moves prior to his unveiling made him a proverbial “good thing,” and he lived up to that billing with a 4 1/2-length triumph and the big Beyer.
Balandeen, by Bernardini
Last 3 Beyers: 73-68-26
◗ After a couple of flubs, this colt has really come to hand for Hartman, who continues to make his presence felt on this circuit.
Rags to Riches, race 4
KEY CONTENDERS
Lovely Bernadette, by Wilburn
Last 3 Beyers: 69-81-60
◗ Her Sept. 17 maiden victory over the Churchill slop was validated by the allowance win at Keeneland, and both came under Albarado, the leading rider at the abbreviated September meet.
